BRAD'S COMMENTS: Not
until the ultra-powerful ships of FASA's TNG Officers Manual does the
STSTCS start to see vessels capable of matching the likes of the Z-4.
During game play, these outposts are hard to wield, if only because they are
miserable offensive weapons thanks to their ponderous movement ratios.
Creeping at a snail's pace, the Z-4 is usually best left orbiting a planet or
perhaps minding an asteroid field; the literal 'big stick' under the table that
can be taken out and used to wallop aggressors who stray too close to a
highly-protected area. The Z-4 is also something of a space
station, and might be thought of as a dual-role model (like all defense
outposts) in that it can, in theory, repair starships in the same fashion as
mobile repair facilities, like a
Spacedock. However, it should be stressed
that this is merely my opinion, and there are no official game rules that I have
ever found confirming my belief.
Best advice to the player taking on
an opponent with a Z-4: assault in numbers. Single ships, even an
Excelsior class, can usually not combat the Z-4 ship to ship. And even
then, with multiple attackers, expect heavy losses during an assault.
The most interesting, and lengthy,
scenarios I have ever played with this class have involved posing two forces
against each other along the Klingon neutral zone: a Starfleet
Alamo outpost and
its contingent of ships, versus a Z-4 and its contingent of Klingon
vessels. Attrition almost always kills off all the other ships until both
outposts are forced to creep towards each other from opposite sides of the
starmap, lobbing shots and hoping to score lucky strikes before they each close
to killing distance and mutually annihilate one another.
In relation to the movies and TV
series themselves, one always wonders if the Z-4 and other outposts like it are
the equivalent of the huge Earth Spacedock or the
Nor class Cardassian
stations,
aka: Deep Space Nine? What about the older
Deep Space Station K7 from
ST:TOS? Also, could defense outposts be thought of as actual starbases?
My only answer to these questions is that I think the defense outpost, as built
for the STSTCS, is a pint-sized version of a Spacedock, not as large or as
heavily armed, and probably not capable of all the same functions. And as
for outposts being equivalent to starbases, well, it seems to me having seen the
vast majority of Star Trek episodes on TV and in film, a 'starbase' is a
planetary installation that may or may not have a companion space
station orbiting overhead. So a defense outpost might function as part of a starbase, without actually being the starbase itself.
Again, this is just my speculation.
(see more of my comments on space stations and defense outposts at the
Federation Alamo, R-1,
and Spacedock pages!) I also speculate that large space installations like
these have extraordinarily lengthy service lives, so I have added stats to keep
the Z-4 current with technology well beyond the time of Kirk.

From the FASA Star Trek KLINGON SHIP RECOGNITION MANUAL, circa 1985
Z-4 (Deathgame) Defense Outpost
Known Sphere Of Operation: Federation & Romulan Borders
Data Reliability: C
Major Data Source: Klingon Sector Intelligence
NOTES: Being introduced on stardate 1/8902, five years prior to the outbreak of
the Four Years War, the Klingons began to supplement their border listening posts with the Z-4.
These fortresses were placed in the areas where the Klingons wished to deny or restrict enemy movement.
Since their introduction, the Klingons have constantly added to their number.
Major defense points (such as starbases) will have more than one Z-4. Several points along the Federation and Triangle border are known to have as many as eight, each giving the others covering fire.
The Z-4 is so large that it must be built in place; if one must ever be moved, it is disassembled into six different sections and each one brought to the new location.
Most of these outposts are found within a planetary system, but some areas requiring defensive boundaries do not have this luxury.
When first introduced, the Z-4 was capable of
fulfilling its mission completely as designed, but with ships becoming more and more powerful, it was inevitable that they be
upgraded. The Z-4B remained in service for 30 years before all were
replaced with the Z-4C. On stardate 2/1403 the upgraded Z-4C was
introduced, with the newly produced KMAPG-3 warp system and KIPG-3 impulse deck,
both of which offered sizeable energy production increases compared to the Z-4B
model. Also improved were the type and number of disruptors, as well as
the addition of a potent torpedo model, the KP-6, which does as much damage as
the fell Federation FP-4 torpedo. With this increase in weaponry, and an offensive range of 200,000 km, the Z-4C is not a likely target for small groups of ships.
Since the introduction of the Z-4C, the production rate has averaged 23 per year.
Reports indicate that a faction within the Triangle is attempting to purchase one of these facilities.
In the Klingon navy, command of these outposts is not sought after. The duty is considered to be demeaning as it doesn't allow many chances, if any, for glory in combat.
The commanders of these bases have a great deal of power in their hands nevertheless.
The bases are usually accompanied by repair facilities and other much needed diversions for front line units, all
under the base commander's jurisdiction. The name is a translation of the Klingon
zha mortas.